Bring on Christmas! I am ready….I am so ready. Purchase presents for loved ones – check. Spend the last two weeks at the gym to prepare for the carbo-loading onslaught of delicious food – check. Complete all baking to share with others – double check. Purchase the best Christmas sweater ever – triple check with a gold star!
I’ve made so many cookies, bars, and cake balls over the last couple weeks that I wanted to do something different. I’ve seen so many amazing recipes lately of cinnamon buns. Therefore, I figured I’d join the party and bake some too. These are absolutely perfect in every way. They are so easy and require minimal time to make. They also have a delicious hint of gingerbread, which I love this time of year.
In a small saucepan, warm milk to 105 degrees fahrenheit on the stove using a thermometer.
Take off heat at approximately 100 degrees fahrenheit as the temperature will continue to rise to 105 degrees fahrenheit.
In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment (Or in a large bowl if mixing by hand), combine yeast and sugar.
Pour your warm milk over the yeast and sugar.
Let stand 5-10 minutes until foamy.
Should look something like this.
Add butter to the yeast mixture. Mix until the butter is broken up, about 1 minute.
Next, beat in the eggs one at a time.
Stir in molasses until combined.
Next, add your kosher salt.
Then add your ginger.
Then, add your cinnamon.
Finally, add your flour one cup at a time.
Mix at low speed until incorporated, about 2 minutes. Scrape down the side of the bowl.
Increase the speed to medium, and mix the dough for 2 minutes longer.
The dough will still be soft and a little sticky.
Cover bowl with plastic wrap, and let stand for 10 minutes at room temperature.
Lightly flour your countertop and roll the dough out to a 11×17-inch rectangle.
I’m a terrible dough roller so I was pretty proud of myself right here.
Brush the entire surface of the dough with your melted butter.
Next, combine your brown and white sugar and cinnamon.
Sprinkle entire cinnamon sugar mixture onto your dough.
Beginning at a long edge, roll up the dough as tightly as possible, pinching the seam.
Awesome.
Cut the rolled dough into 12 pieces.
I found it easier to cut the dough piece in half, then into two thirds.
Place pieces into a greased muffin pan.
Cover with a tea towel and let stand for 15 minutes at room temperature.
Bake in a 400 degree fahrenheit oven for 12 to 17 minutes, or until the buns are light brown.
How amazing do these look? They smell even better.
Leave them to cool for about 5 minutes in the pan.
While they are cooling, make your yummy glaze.
In a small bowl, combine your milk and powdered sugar.
You can add more milk if you like your icing a bit more runny.
I like my icing to be a bit thicker.
Remove your Gingerbread Cinnamon Rolls from their pan and place on a rack with parchment paper underneath.
Drizzle your yummy icing overtop of the warm buns.
Are you drooling yet?
It took all my energy to not lick each and every one of these babies.
They are best consumed warm.
If you can’t consume all 12 of them at one time, heating them up in the microwave at a later date is also a good alternative.
But I wouldn’t judge you if you had all 12 at one time – I’d actually call you my hero.
The perfect Christmas Morning treat.
Happy Holidays!
- 2/3 cup milk (I used skim but you can use whatever your heart desires), warmed to approximately 105 degrees fahrenheit
- 1-½ tbsp active dry yeast
- 1/3 cup white sugar
- 1/4 cup butter, at room temperature
- 2 large eggs
- 1/4 cup molasses
- 4 cups all-purpose flour, plus more for dusting
- 1 tsp kosher salt
- 1 tsp ground ginger
- 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
- 2 tbsp butter, melted
- 1/4 cup brown sugar, packed
- 1/4 cup white sugar
- 1/2 tbsp ground cinnamon
- 3/4 c. powdered sugar
- 1 tbsp milk (again, I used Skim but use whatever you have on hand)
- Grease a 12-cup muffin tin; set aside.
- In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment (or in a large bowl if mixing by hand), combine the warm milk, yeast, and sugar. Let stand 5-10 minutes until foamy.
- Add butter to the yeast mixture. Mix until the butter is broken up, about 1 minute.
- Beat in the eggs, one at a time. Stir in molasses until combined.
- Add the flour, salt, and spices; mix at low speed until incorporated, about 2 minutes. Scrape down the side of the bowl.
- Increase the speed to medium, and mix the dough for 2 minutes longer. The dough will still be soft and a little sticky. Cover bowl with plastic wrap, and let stand for 10 minutes.
- On a lightly floured work surface, roll the dough out to a 11×17-inch rectangle.
- In a small bowl, mix together the brown sugar, granulated sugar, and cinnamon.
- Brush the 2 tablespoons of melted butter over the dough and sprinkle evenly with the cinnamon mixture.
- Beginning at a long edge, roll up the dough as tightly as possible, pinching the seam.
- Cut the rolled dough into twelve pieces, and set them in the prepared cups.
- Cover, and let stand for 15 minutes.
- Preheat oven to 400 F. Bake for about 12 to 17 minutes, or until the buns are light golden brown.
- While the buns are baking, make the glaze.
- Whisk together the powdered sugar and enough milk to make a pourable glaze.
- Let the buns cool in pan for 5 minutes. Remove the buns from the pan, and then pour the glaze over the warm buns.